Review by Jacob Dunn 203Bruno and Boots (This can't be happening at Macdonald hall!)3.) Did you enjoy the book? Why? Why not?I found that the novel Bruno and Boots was really funny. I found that it was funny because it is all about Bruno and Boots playing practical jokes on students at their boarding school. An example is when they took hundreds of ants this guy collected and let them loose in the hallways and everybody went crazy. “The racket was beginning to penetrate into the other rooms.” 1.) What did you think the book was about?When I picked up this book I knew what it was going to be about two school kids around 13 years old that always get into trouble because they always pull pranks on people. I knew this because my sister read this book and told me all about it. 5.) What about the plot? Did it pull you in; or did you feel you had to force yourself to read the book?I found that the plot was really good. It was good because it was how they are trying to convince the principle that they can share a room together because they really didn’t like whom they rooming with. They proved it to him by saving someone that needs help. “Quick boys save him, cried Mr. Sturgeon.” 9.) How would the book have been different if it had taken place in a different time or place?If this book took place in a different place it probably wouldn’t have been as good. If it wouldn’t had been in a boarding school they wouldn’t have been able to play pranks on over night on their schoolmates. But since it is, they can do a whole bunch more than they could in a regular school. 8.) If one of the characters made a choice that had moral implications , would you have made the same decision Why? Why not?In this book they decide to cheat on an important test. If I were in their shoes I probably would have not done that. I wouldn’t have done that because when they cheated they weren’t aloud to share a room together so they wouldn’t do bad stuff. And it sucked for them because they were best friends.6.) Were the character’s realistic? Would you want to meet any of the characters. Did you like them? Hate them?I would have loved to meet the characters in this book. I would have wanted to meet them because they both remind me of how I am sometimes. Like one time I was at camp and we played pranks on people almost every night. I found that they were really realistic because they act like normal teenage boys who like to goof around most of the time.18.) On a scale from one to five what would you give this book- what would have made this book better?On a scale from one to five I would probably give this book a five. I would give it a five because it was great for my age group, which people my age usually like funny books. To make this book better I would have made it much longer. I would have made it longer because I could of put more funny parts in it.16.) What was your least favorite part/ scene of the book?My least favorite part of this book was when Bruno and Boots cheated on the test. I didn’t like that part because Bruno and Boots get separated and aren’t aloud to hangout with each other. But at night they sneak out and hangout.13.) Would you have recommend this book to other readers?I would have recommended this book to most readers and my friends. But mostly people that like comedy. I would recommend this book to people because it is hilarious. It is funny because they are always playing jokes on people. 15.) What was your favorite part/ scene of this book? I had many favorite parts in this book, But my favorite part was when they let these ants that this guy collected and let them loose into the hallways. When they did that every body started to freak out. “ The racket was beginning to penetrate into the other rooms”.4.) How did the book compare to other books by the author( or other books in the same genre)?This book related to two other books that I have read in my life. The two books were captain underpants and diary of a wimpy kid. This book related to them because all three of these books are comedy books.14.) If you casting these characters in a movie- what actors would play them?If I were casting a movie for this book I would choose the Sprouse twins from the show “the suite life on deck” to play Bruno and boots. I would choose them play these characters because they are all ready actors in a comedy show. That is why I would choose them.10.) What are some of the books themes? How important were they?There weren’t that many themes in this book because it was a comedy book. One theme was not to cheat on a test. That was a theme in the book because they cheat ion a test and then they got in big trouble. That was an important theme because cheating will never lead you to good unless you’re lucky.12.) Did the book end the way you expected?The book Bruno and Boots ended the way I thought it would. It ended by them getting to be roommates again because they saved somebody. “Quick boys save him, cried Mr. Sturgeon.” 19.) Were there any personality traits in the character that you could identify with?A personality trait that I can identify with one of the characters is silliness. I can identify with that because both the two characters and me are all silly sometimes. We are both silly in the same way by the things we do, like playing pranks on people.
I was such a fan of Gordon Korman's early books, written when he was in his teens. They are hard to find now but I pick them up where I can and I've been sitting on a box set of the Bruno and Boots stories for a couple years. I pulled the first out today to see if my 10yo is ready for them and enjoyed a riotous, LOL filled 30 minutes. Like, actually laughing out loud, just like I remember doing when I read these as a kid. These early books may not be as well-crafted as Korman's newer ones, but I love the enthusiasm, action, and humor that I haven't enjoyed as much as his current stuff. Maybe it's just the nostalgia.I would recommend these to grades 3-8, depending on reading level and maturity. They take place in a Canadian boarding school for boys and there is a girls' school across the road. The only questionable moment at all was a (fake) panty raid. My almost 11yo won't even blink at that but I think my 9yo could wait another year. All the books in the series are short and funny with a reading level for 3rd grade and up.
The Macdonald Hall series is out-of-print in the United States so it's hard to obtain copies. I'm actually reading an e-book copy of This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall that someone kindly uploaded as none of my local libraries carried it.I'm enjoying it so far, but as one of the reviewers mentioned, it's clear that This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall is one of Korman's earlier works as the flow of the story may not be as smooth. Korman does have a talent with the turn of phrases, if that makes sense.* * *Okay, This Can't Be Happening at Macdonald Hall is pretty hilarious. Lots of funny, laugh-out loud hijinks and mischievous pranks. Bruno and Boots can be sweet and charming when they are not creating havoc.
—Jane
Long before kids were reading about Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwarts, running around the school and getting into trouble, they were reading about Bruno & Boots (and Cathy and Diane) running around Macdonald Hall and Miss Scrimmage's, up to some scheme or another, trying not to get expelled doing so! The result was comedic excellence and even after 30 years, I'm convinced this series would make a great TV show!This is the first book which is shorter than the rest, but what do you expect from a first-time writer at the age of 12 (if I recall correctly)? If you have kids of this age, you could do a lot worse than introduce them to the works of Gordon Korman. Chances are, they'll love these books!
—Patrick Lemieux
Una novela juvenil es algo bastante 'out of character' en mi persona, lo sé. Pero lo cierto es que con ésta me lo he pasado muy bien. Bruno y Boots residen en un internado en Canadá y su principal pasatiempo consiste en hacer bromas al director de la institución. Bromas que nunca son demasiado pesadas o demasiado crueles, algo que agradezco. Es por esto que el director decide separarlos. Están castigados y a partir de ahora ya no compartirán nunca más habitación. A Bruno le ponen con un empollón y a Boots con un pijo millonetis. Los dos amigos no soportan esta separación así que deciden poner en práctica una serie de planes para poder volver a compartir habitación, de manera que como manda la regla se suceden una serie de peripecias divertidas. El autor escribió la obra cuando tenía sólo 15 años y no creo que se note. Es sencilla, pero es una obra de una simplicidad efectiva. Fresca, directa, divertida, tierna y agradable. Los dos protagonistas caen bien porque no son unos sabelotodos, los planes casi nunca les salen como esperaban, y sus bromas nunca son de mal gusto. Y me encanta el detalle de que el director sea estricto pero no un tirano estúpido y que al final Bruno y Boots acaben apreciando al niño empollón. Me lo he pasado genial leyendo esta novela y sin duda voy a seguir con la saga.
—Núria
